Death, Transformation, Mistake
by XoxMountainGirlxoX
Summary: Prequel to Return, Redemption, Rescue, based on what happened in chapter 8. Cole makes a mistake that might cost him everything.


**A/N:** Ok, this is a prequel to the Return, Redemption, Rescue story. It explains what happened to Cole in chapter 8. I got the idea after starting Return, Redemption, Rescue and didn't know how to incorporate this part into it. I thought about a flashback, but didn't really like the idea, so I decided to make a poll about it and one-shot won! And here we are! I would like to thank slytherensangel26 for betaing this, she is awesome!

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

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**Turtle Cove**

**2011**

It had been six years since he'd worn the ranger uniform. Six years since Master Org had been vanquished and Princess Shayla had gone back to sleep. Through all of those years, Cole had felt a constant sense of foreboding... a bad feeling. Like something was going to happen. He dared not tell the others, especially Alyssa. He didn't want to cause her worry.

The end of their ranger days had brought with it, a new beginning for him. He had been alone most of his life until he became a ranger, and suddenly having friends was overwhelming. After taking a few weeks to get settled in to civilian life, he'd gone to the local college to study Biology and Zoology. After graduating, he got a job at the local wild life park which he absolutely loved. He had a social life as well, which meant the he and Alyssa spent many hours hanging out with their friends. He loved his life and more then that, his girlfriend whom he'd moved in with. Yet, there were times when he needed his time alone with his thoughts. The forest had become his sanctuary then and he made it a point to take to the woods at least once a week. This was another perk of having won the war. He could go anywhere without the threat of being attacked.

The day everything changed, he was once again taking a much needed hike. He and Alyssa had been arguing and instead of lashing out at her, he'd chosen to walk away, going to the one place where he could calm down. He planned to go back in about an hour to make up with her. But right then, he needed the calm of his surroundings to get his emotions under control.

It wasn't that she was hard to love, it was just that he was still getting used to having someone always there. Now that they had moved in together, Cole was learning that that meant there was not much privacy. He was used to open space, like what he had when he lived in the wilderness or the Animaria. The closeness of the walls were unnerving from time to time and it would make him frustrated.

He knew that Alyssa was it, there was no one else for him and he wanted to make it work. That was why he walked away, he knew that lashing out at her would hurt her and would hurt their relationship. They were so close to marriage and he didn't want to ruin that. A few weeks ago he had gone with Danny to help pick out a ring. They had found the perfect one and he had gotten it. It had arrived just a day ago and he had already planned to tell her on their anniversary that was a week away. But now this argument happened and he hoped that this hike would help him figure out how to reconcile with her without running his mouth.

It was there that he found that the bad feeling wasn't to be ignored. While he was walking, he came across a man who looked like he need help.

"Hey, you alright?" Cole called out, seeing how pale the distressed man was. It didn't get past him that the man had a sword, he could see the sheath that was almost camouflaged against his pants.

"Yes, I'm fine." The man grunted, making it known that he was in some sort of pain.

"Are you sure?" Cole asked, he could see the man getting weaker, gasping for air more than he had been.

"No, I need help." The man said in a resigned voice. He knew that Cole was the one. He could feel it.

"Ok, what's your name? I can get you help." Cole replied.

"Deker, my name is Deker. You are the only one who can help me." He answered. An uneasy feeling had come over Cole, but his compassionate side won out.

"How?" Cole asked, the unease feeling getting stronger.

"I'm dying. I need to pass on my legacy." Deker explained.

"Your legacy?" Cole asked.

"Yes. I...I...I'm a warrior. I have a mission to accomplish, if I accomplish it, I will get my wife back." Deker explained. Something didn't seem right to Cole, but he decided to play along.

"Your wife? Where is she?" He asked.

"In the Netherworld. They captured us right after our wedding, burnt the house, destroyed everything we had. When they took us to the Netherworld we weren't sure what would they would do. They've turned us into monsters...and spies.." He was cut off in his explanation by Cole.

"Who is they?" He asked.

"The leaders of the Netherworld, Master Xandred and his henchmen." Deker replied.

"What happened to your wife? Where is she? What do you mean by being made into a 'spy'?" Cole asked.

"When we were captured my wife put up a fuss, she was a very tough woman and didn't like to be manhandled like they were doing to her." He started, the way his voice sounded made it seem like he was reliving that part of his past.

"Master Xandred didn't like it and gave her an ultimatum. He told her that if she would just go along with what they wanted then he wouldn't hurt her, but if she kept fighting then there would be hell to pay. She wouldn't hear of it and kept fighting. That was when it all changed." Deker said.

"What do you mean?" Cole asked.

"You see, my wife loved me very much and Master Xandred knew that. He knew that to get to her something would have to be done to me. Physically hurting her would do nothing, but if it came to family..." Deker trailed off with a small smile.

"So, what did he do?" Cole asked, entranced with the story, forgetting about the uneasy feeling.

"He killed me. When she saw what Master Xandred had done she went ballistic saying she would do anything to bring me back. That was when everything changed. He told her that if she wanted him to bring me back, she would have to pledge her allegiance to him. She said she would, even though he told her that she would have to stay in the Netherworld forever.

He changed her, changed her into one of his monsters. She sacrificed her beauty and life so I could live. But that wasn't all that changed. I had changed as well. Both my wife and I, we didn't know it at the time, had already changed when they had brought us into the Netherworld. To get into the Netherworld you have to be at least part Nighlok, what they call their monsters. That was what I meant by being made into a spy." Deker explained.

"So, wait, you are saying you are part monster, Nighlok, whatever it is called? Like a werewolf?" Cole asked, the uneasy feeling coming back full force.

"Yes, sort of. A werewolf can't change at whim. I'm something like a shapeshifter or a skinwalker. I can only change into two different forms, my human form and my monster form. Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt anyone." Deker said, seeing the worried look on Cole's face.

"Then why are you here? Why do you need me to help you?" Cole asked.

"Because I'm dying. I need your help to save my wife. Xandred gave me a special mission and if I complete it, my wife will be free. I don't have much longer to live, but I don't want to give up on Dahlia. She deserves to be free." Deker explained, the pain in his eyes getting to Cole. He sighed.

How can I help?" he asked.

"Continue my mission. Free my wife." Deker gasped, getting weaker.

"But I'm not you! How can I complete your mission when I don't know what it is or what to do? You don't have the time to tell me." Cole reasoned.

"No, I don't, but I can give you what I know." Deker said.

"How?" Cole asked, getting frustrated.

"Come here." Deker ordered and Cole got closer. At that moment Deker vanished and small light floated up from where he had been. The light floated toward Cole and entered him through his chest. An indescribable feeling happened and suddenly Cole felt like he was in a fast forewarded movie.

_Don't worry, you now have my memories and my abilities. Use them wisely and always remember that Urumasa has the control._

"What do you mean?" Cole thought out loud.

_In time you will understand. _

_I need to go back to my friends..._Cole started to think, but was cut off.

_NO! You can't go back! You are on a mission and friends can't get in the way!_ A different voice screamed at him, scaring him slightly.

_But..._Cole's thought trailed off.

_No! You have to get away from there, you need a place where you can practice. Your friends won't want you anyway now._ The voice said.

"What the hell do you mean? My friends don't care." Cole thought out loud again.

_They will when they see what you have become. _The voice sneered.

"What?" Cole wondered. He noticed a bag beside him and the sword that Deker had been carrying. He looked in the bag and found a spoon, when he looked at his reflection he dropped it in disgust. He was a monster now. A Nighlok or whatever the Deker guy called them. How could he return to his friend, to Alyssa, like this?

_You know what you have to do. _The voice said and along with it came a memory of a cave not to far from where he was right then. Cole side and picked everything up. He started walking away from the place he loved, the place that held the people who were so dear to him. He looked back once and turned back around and left.

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**The Enrilé Home**

It had been a day since Cole had went on his hike and no one had heard from him since. Alyssa had started to become worried, Cole had never been gone this long and if he did he would have told her. They had been dating for a few years and were very loyal to each other.

They had been close from the start and love had blossomed very early on in their friendship, but they couldn't act upon it because of their duties of saving earth. After their tenure was up they finally admitted to their love and a year later were living together. Alyssa had helped Cole through college while she taught at a local kindergarten and both were very happy.

"Taylor, I don't know what to do." Alyssa cried, hoping her friend could help. She had called Taylor about the situation hoping that her boyfriend had made an appearance at their friend's house... that she had seen Cole and he was okay.

"No, I haven't seen him since last week," Taylor said sounding just as worried. Alyssa closed her eyes as the tears came back in full force. Cole would sometimes go and visit Taylor since she had started dating Eric Meyers. Her friend had gotten a job as a silver guardian after her time in the military had ended. Cole loved hanging out and learning about the silver guardians, sometimes thinking of becoming one himself. He would endlessly ask questions, but it never annoyed her or Eric who both loved their jobs.

"Oh why did I ever argue with him. I was so stupid!" Allysa cried.

Allysa, you have got to get a grip. I'm sure that he's fine. I called Eric and Wes, they're looking for him right now. Taylor tried to console her friend, but to no avail. She wasn't one to comfort and found it very hard to be around people crying.

"Alright. Please call me if anything turns up." Alyssa ordered.

"I will." Taylor promised and hung up.

Alyssa sat down on the bed and slowly laid down. She turned over and hugged the pillow next to her and cried, the scent of Cole overwhelming her. She cried herself to sleep and didn't hear the door open as Danny and Max came in.

Taylor had called them, worried about Alyssa being alone. She had wanted to go over and help her friend, but Eric had asked her to help in the search for Cole. Both men had told her not to worry, that they would take good care of her and that if there was any problems, they would call her immediately.

Everyone knew that Alyssa could become irrational and overreact when there was an emergency, it had happened a lot during their ranger days, and, since this had to do with Cole, everyone was very worried for the girl. After they found her, fast asleep with hints that she had been crying, they covered her up and went out to keep vigil in the living room. Both hoping and praying that Cole would come back.

No one saw the man standing just outside the window to Alyssa's bedroom. He had seen everything and it made his heart ache. He slowly turned around and headed into the woods, his robe gently rustling the leaves on the ground. His eyes fixed on the endless rows of trees and in the direction the voice was telling him to go.

"I will be back, Alyssa. I promise." The voice carried on the wind as he continued on his journey.

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Thanks for reading! Please review!


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